Silent Shadows: Book Two - The River of Secrets

XXVII

Content Warning: Bullying, violence, gore.

Shimmerkit sat alone in the den. A series of agonizing memories scorched her mind again and again, memories she'd battle and tear apart with tooth and claw if she could. 

"Heh, look at her now," those older kits mewed. "Not only does her daddy still not care about her, her mommy's dead, and with Featherkit gone we can do whatever we want!"

She dug her claws into the ground, wishing she could dig herself away somewhere and sleep forever there. Those kits approached her again, snickering quietly.

Shimmerkit looked up again, staring at their amused faces. Somewhere inside her, she felt the sadness she struggled to bear start to turn into rage. "So, you're coming near me, after all those things you did?" she challenged.

"Yeah, little weakling," the she-kit mewed happily. "Heard some bad things happened to you. Serves you right, huh?"

The group laughed, and the fury began to fill her body. Finally, she couldn't confine it inside her anymore. 

She unsheathed her claws, slashing them across the she-kit's face.

A sudden scream brought her back to her senses. Shimmerkit stood shocked, before staring down and seeing the blood upon her claws. 

"Huh? What the hell did she just do!?" Another one of the kits screamed, as the she-kit she'd attacked crumpled to the ground, bleeding and wailing.

Her shock dissipated, and her rage returned, yet this time, it came with satisfaction. She charged forth, claws out, hoping what she was about to do would terrify those other kits so much they'd never mess with her again.

I can't shred these memories, but I can attack all of you.

Despite her fatigue, Shimmerspark continued running on towards where the screams and chaos called for her. Something told her that the endless cries up ahead were calling her name, asking her to jump into pain again. She didn't care about herself anymore, it was her purpose to save everyone else.

The sound of hisses and growls intensified as she continued sprinting forth, and she found herself running into a wide clearing, infested with a pit of fighting cats.

Shimmerspark froze, and stood still right in front of the battle. At the sight of the fight, memories started to flood her mind again. She saw fire, she heard screams. She felt pain. She found herself reverting back to the darkest day of her existence again, of the day she never wished to think about as if it never happened. Here it was, happening again.

Then, above it all, she saw him.

That unimaginable being, that monster that'd torn what was real apart. Through her panic, she wondered if he was even real. If he wasn't a nightmare created by the sickest area of her mind. 

Despite the feelings of fire overwhelming her, the she-cat forced herself to charge forth into battle. Finally, a lucid thought occurred to her; this wasn't that day, it'd go differently today.

Above on the branch, Selenostar stared in disbelief. "Shimmerpaw?"

He'd believed his daughter to be dead for so long, and grieved so much. And yet, here she was, right bellow him. 

Yet beside him, Pebblestar felt his wrath rise to unimaginable levels. I tortured that troublemaker for days, days! How in the world is she still alive?

Baring his teeth, he called out a command to all the remaining cats who fought for him. "All my mercenaries, go for that gray tabby with purple eyes! It's no problem, we'll get rid of her and then kill everyone else. She'll be an easy target."

Perplexed by him wishing to waste their time killing one cat, but knowing what consequences there'd be if they didn't comply, the mercenaries followed his command. Despite the confusion in the clearing about the change of order, the fighters left the group and began focusing on their new target.

Shimmerspark rose her head, shock flowing through her as she sensed the tide of the battle had turned on her and her alone. Yet there was no time to think, before she fully realized what was happening claws nearly pushed her to the ground.

Instinct brought her own claws forth. Quickly, she slashed the throat of the first opponent, with as much force as she could, but barely had time to see the light fade from the eyes before another pair of claws dug into her shoulder. She swiftly turned around, sinking her teeth into their throat until they fell limp upon the ground.

Looking at the wave, she noticed a slim gap between them. Shimmerspark fiercely kicked the cat behind her, knowing it was impossible to slash anyone with those hind paws. She charged forth, claws out, through the gap, blindly slashing at the swirl of cats with all the energy she had left.

She kept on fighting, slashing the throat of any cat who jumped toward her. When she turned, claws suddenly swiped towards her throat. She quickly ducked away from the swipe, only for her to be stricken somewhere else. She barely realized what was happening, yet, suddenly, blood blinded her right eye and she could no longer see.

Pain overwhelmed her, but her instinct forced her to continue on and wipe the blood away. The world needed her to experience this agony. She didn't matter, the only thing that needed to remain was her purpose to save everyone.

Despite the agony where her eye had been, she continued tearing through the horde.

-

Stormray didn't fight, they simply stood by and stared at the fight going on.

"I know this will work out however it's supposed to," they'd told Silentdawn. She stood by them, fear being her only reason to refuse to fight as well. In fact, she was barely in tune with what was happening. Her mind blocked out most of the things being said.

Through the chaos happening right in front of them, suddenly, she spotted her. It wasn't a work of art hung up in front of them, in fact, she only caught a glimpse of that molly. Yet it made all the difference.

She was covered in blood, one of her eyes missing, laughing as she tore the others apart. Yet it wasn't a laugh of malice, nor sadism. She laughed like a child. 

Somewhere inside that brutal soldier ripping her opponents to pieces, there was a lonely child, furious with the world and the injustice she'd had to go through.

//

A/N

I think this chapter was really good actually :D

Chapters are coming at you guys, rapid-fire! Prepare for a new chapter every hour...or two, or so, idk, for the next few hours!